Steel Knotts [Pikeawassa]

About Steel Knotts [Pikeawassa]

Occupying the narrow ridge between Fusedale and Martindale, this modest fell punches above its weight. The summit, Pikeawassa, is a sharp, rocky outcrop that feels far more mountain-like than the grassy slopes suggest. It offers a peerless perspective down onto Martindale’s twin valleys and the steely expanse of Ullswater.

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Did You Know?

• •The name 'Steel' derives from the Old Norse 'stail', describing a steep, narrow ridge, while 'Knotts' refers to the rocky outcrops that pepper its slopes. The summit itself is specifically named Pikeawassa, a title Alfred Wainwright preferred for its characterful, craggy appearance.
• •Wainwright was particularly fond of this fell, describing the summit of Pikeawassa as a 'shattered outcrop' and a 'perfect little mountain top.' He noted that while the fell is relatively low in altitude, its sharp profile makes it the 'monarch of the scene' for those looking up from the Martindale valley floor.
• •Steel Knotts acts as a natural divider between the two valleys of Martindale and Fusedale. From the rocky summit, walkers can look directly down onto the 16th-century St Martin's Old Church in Martindale, framed by the steep slopes of Hallin Fell and the High Street range.
• •The fell provides a strategic viewpoint for spotting the red deer of the Martindale estate. This area is home to the oldest pure-bred red deer herd in England, which has occupied these fells since at least the 13th century.
• •The climb to the summit of Pikeawassa provides just enough of a rocky scramble to let you feel like a mountaineer, without the inconvenient requirement of actually being one.